This document outlines the basics of testing and assessment. It begins with definitions of key terms and lists the main principles of testing, including usefulness, practicality, validity, and reliability. It then describes different types of tests, such as placement, progress, achievement, and diagnostic tests. The document also discusses test design procedures like planning, development, administration, and reflection. It covers the use of statistics in testing and how technology has impacted testing over time. In the bibliography section, several key references on language testing are provided.

1. Testing: Back to Basics.
Abdellatif Zoubair
zoubair2@hotmail.com
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2. Outline
1. Definition
2. Main principles
3. Test types
4. Test design procedure
5. Use of statistics
6. Technolgy and testing
7. Bibliography
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3. I. Definition:
« a . . . . . . of measuring a person’s
ability, . . . . . . . . . . or . . . . . . . . . . .
in a given . . . . . . . . «
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4. « a method of measuring a person’s ability,
knowledge or performance in a given
domain. »
D. Brown, 2004.
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5. Terminolgy
-Performance vs knowledge
-Quiz vs test
-Testing vs assessment
-Assessment vs evaluation
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6. II. Main principles
1. Usefulness
2. Practicality
3. Validity
4. Reliability
5. Authenticity
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7. Main principles (cont’d)
6. Transparency
7. Washback
8. Security
9. Fairness
10. . . .
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8. III. Taxonomies
a. Henning (1987):
1. Diagnosis and feedback
2. Screening and selection
3. Placement
4. Program evaluation
5. Providing research criteria
6. Assessment of attitudes and socio-
psychological differences
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9. b. Alderson, Clapham and Wall (1995):
1. placement
2. progress
3. achievement
4. proficiency
5. diagnostic
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10. c. objective vs. subjective tests
d. high- vs. low-stakes tests
e. formative vs summative
-.....
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11. h. Traditional vs. Alternative
Assessment.
Refer to comparative chart
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12. Types:
-self-assessment
-portfolios
-student-designed tests
-projects
-presentations
-....
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13. IV. Test design procedure:
a. planning:
-decide on purpose
-check course content
-write specifications
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14. b. development:
-format
-grading
-piloting
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15. c. administration:
-test conditions and procedures
-organize equipment needed
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16. d. post-test
-grading
-statistics
-item analysis
-reporting
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17. e. reflection:
-purpose
-validity and reliability
-future changes
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18. V. Statistics:
a. what
b. rationale:
-information on students' performance
-test reliability
-course content
-teaching
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19. c. how:
-the mean
-the pass/failure rate
-histograms
- .....
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20. VI. Technology and testing
a. history:
-1935: IBM model 805
-1970: Book on computerized testing
(Holtzman)
-...?
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21. b. main uses:
-CMT/CAT
-CBT
-CAT
-Web/internet-based testing
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22. VII. Bibliography:
-Alderson, J. Charles, Caroline Clapham and Dianne Wall. 1995. Test
Construction and Evaluation. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University
Press.
-Bachman, Lyle F. 1990. Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing.
Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press.
-Brown, H.D. 2004. Language Assessment: Principles and classroom
practices. New York: Pearson Longman.
-Coombe, C., Folse, K., & Hubley, N. (2007). A Practical Guide to Assessing
English Language Learners. Ann Arbor, MI.: University of Michigan Press.
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23. -Fulcher, G. Computers in Language Testing. In Brett, P. and G.
Motteram (Eds) 2000, A Special Interest in Computers. Manchester:
IATEFL Publications, 93 – 107.
-Fulcher, G. & Davidson, F. 2007. Language Testing and
Assessment: An Advanced Resource Book. Routledge Applied
Linguistics Series.
-Fulcher, G. 1995. The Language Tester's Guide to Cyberspace.
Language Testing Update July 1995, 17, 62 - 65.
Last updated: 9th June 2008.
Also available at:
http://www.le.ac.uk/education/testing/ltrfile/cybertxt.html#top
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24. -Fulcher, G. Resources in Language Testing (website)
(http://www.dundee.ac.uk/languagestudies/ltest/ltr.html)
-Heaton, J. B. 1988. Writing English Language Tests.
Harlow, England:Longman Press.
-Hughes, Arthur. 2003. Testing for Language Teachers (2nd Edition).
Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.
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25. Thank you for your patience!
June 09